Press.



. PATENTED SEPT. 3, 1907. M. S. CLARK.

PRESS.

APPLIOATIOK FILED AUG. 1a. was.

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PATENTED SEPT. 3, 1907. M. S. CLARK.

PRESS.

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UNITED STATES MORGAN S. CLARK, OF ROANOKE, VIRGINIA.

PRESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3, 1907.-

Application filed August 13, 1906. Serial No. 330,475.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORGAN S. CLARK, a citizen of the United States,residing at Roanoke, in the county of Roanoke and State of Virginia,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Presses, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in presses of the belt and rollertype and consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangementof parts hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and practical machineof this character in which fruit, lard and other substances may bepressed to quickly and effectively express their juice or liquidportions from their solid portions.

Further objects and advantages of my invention, as well as thestructural features by means of which these objects are attained, willbe made clear by an examination of the specification, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which the same refer encenumerals indicate corresponding portions throughout, and in which,

Figure l is a side elevation of the improved press; Fig. 2 is a' topplan view of the same; Fig. 3 is an end elevation; and Fig. 4 is adetail vertical longitudinal section.

The body 1 of the press is, preferably, but not neces sarily, made ofmetal and, as shown, consists of a main casting 2 having open front andrear sides closed by plates or heads 3, 4 which are bolted to thecasting 2. The latter is substantially rectangular in form, but has alongitudinally curved bottom from the center of which upon one sideprojects a discharge spout 5 for the juices or liquids expressed by thepress. In the top of the body casting 2 adjacent to one of its ends isan inlet 6 for the fruit, or other substance to be treated. This inletopening 6 extends transversely and has a surrounding depending flange,as seen in Fig. 4. A hopper 7 is bolted upon the top of casting 2 abovethe opening 6 to feed the fruit or the like into the press. In the endsof the casting 2 are formed transverse, horizontal slots or openings 8,9 through which passes an endless feed belt 10 of canvas or othersuitable material. The side plates 3, 4 have formed at suitable pointsalong their edges apertured lugs 11 which provide bearings for thejournals of guide-rollers 12 for the belt 10. Said plates are alsoformed at one of their ends with extensions 13, in which are mounted atension roller 14 for the belt and a belt scraper or cleaner 15. Thebody 1 of the press is supported at a suitable height by legs 16 whichare bolted on the side plates.

The feed belt 10 is provided for the purpose of carrying the substanceto be pressed from two grinding rollers 17 to and through three pressingrollers 18, 19, 20. The'grinding rollers are disposed transversely in18, 19, 20 are, preferably,

the body 1 above the feed belt and beneath the inlet opening 6, and theyare fixed upon shafts 21, 22, which are mounted in bearings in the sideplates 3, 4. The shaft 21 has fixed upon one of its ends a pinion 23which meshes with a gear 24 fixed upon the shaft 22, so that saidgrinding rollers will rotate in opposite directions and at differentspeeds. The pressing rollers arranged as shown in Fig. 4, the rollers18, 19 being of the same size and disposed out of contact with eachother, and the roller 20 being some what larger and disposed so as topress the belt 10 against the rollers 18, 19. The latter have theirshafts 25, 26 mounted in stationary bearings in the side plates 3, 4,and the roller 20 has its shaft 27 journaled in slidably-mounted,spring-pressed bearings 28 in said side plates. Set screws 29 areprovided for adjusting the tension of the springs which actuate thebearings 28, so that the roller 20 may be caused to bear against therollers 18, 19 with any desired degree of pressure, according to thesubstance to be treated. On the front end of the shaft 25 is fixed acrank handle 30, or other suitable operating device, and also'a gear 31which meshes with and drives the gear 24. On the rear end of the shaft25 is fixed a gear 32 which meshes with a gear 33 fixed upon the shaft27. The gear 33 also meshes with a gear 34 fixed upon the shaft 26, sothat the pressing rollers 18, 19, 20 are geared together and positivelydriven. The belt may be stretched as tight as desired by adjusting theroller 14 which has the ends of its shaft journaled in bearing blocks 35slidable in slots in the extensions 13. This adjustment of the roller 14is effected by means of nuts 36 upon screwstuds which are carried bysaid bearings 35 and project through apertures in lugs or ears upon theextensions 13, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The belt cleaner or scraper 15 is in the form of a flat blade havingrounded longitudinal edges and disposed immediately below the roller 14so as to coact therewith. At the centers of the ends of said blade arepivot-studs mounted in bearing blocks 37 which slide in slots in theextensions 13 and are adjusted by screws 38. A transverse scraper blade39 is provided in the body 1 to engage the roller 20, as seen in Fig. 4.

The operation of the press is as follows: The substance to be pressed isplaced in the hopper 7 and the crank handle 3( is turned. The gearingpreviously described rotates the grinding rollers 17 which grind thesubstance and deposit it upon the belt 10 which carries it between therollers 20 and 18, 19. As the substance passes between these pressingrollers all of the juice or liquid is expressed from it, the juicerunning down upon the bottom of the body 1 and passing therefrom throughthe spout 5 and into a suitable receptacle. The pomace or solid portionof the substance being treated, remains upon the belt and passes out ofthe opening 9 in the body 1. Owing to the small diameter oi the tensionpulley 14, the pomace on the belt Will be caused to break and droptherefrom as it passes around said pulley, and should any pomace remainupon the belt it will be removed by the scraper 15, as will be readilyunderstood. The scraper 38 removes any pomace that may adhere to theroller 20.

If found preferable, the belt cleaner or scraper 15 may be rotatablymounted so as to turn in a direction opposite to the belt and therebymore effectually scrape the same.

Having thus described my said invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent oi the United States, is

A press of the character described comprising a body having a horizontalslot in one of its end walls, horizontally extending arms projectingfrom the sides of the body at the opposite ends of said slot, saidprojecting arms being formed with upper and lower transversely alinedand hori zoni'ally extending slots, apertured ears upon said arms at theouter ends of said slots, bearing blocks slidably mounted in the upperslots, screws carried by said bearing blocks and projecting through theears at the ends of said slots, adjusting nuts upon said screws, a guideupon the exterior of said body adjacent to its lower end, an endlessapron passed between said pressing rollers through the slot in the bodyand over said guide roller and said guide, blocks slidably mounted insaid lower slots, screws carried by the last mentioned blocks andarranged in the apertured ears at the ends of said lower slots,adjusting nuts upon said screws, and a scraper bar having roundedlongitudinal edges and provided at its ends with pivot studs mounted inthe last mentioned blocks-said scraper bar being arranged verticallybeneath said guide roller and being adapted to press said apron againstsaid roller, substantially as shown and described. 7

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

MORGAN S. CLARK.

Witnesses \V'ALTER A. CLARK, Lune: A. CLARK.

